Category: Gaming

Danni

Entertainment Goals for 2024

Computers, Danni, Gaming, Goals, Real Life

I like watching, reading, and playing things. Now I’m finally coming out of the November smol relapse (to contrast with the Covid big relapse) I’m actually able to plan what I want to achieve when it comes to entertainment. All of these are very health dependent, but hopefully I’ll manage some of them.

Reading

Reading 15 books I mentioned in my general goals list, before I realised it was getting way too long. I’ve managed 2 books so far, and I’m in the middle of a third. I’m not too fussy over what I’m going to read, but I’m hoping to progress with rereading all the Chalet School books I have access to on ebook, and continue reading Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books in published order, interspersed with other stuff. I’ve got well over a thousand books on my to read pile, so often the problem is choosing what to read next, though Storygraph can help there. I’m deliberately avoiding anything too heavy right now, but if I improve maybe I’ll change that.

Separate from actual books, I also want to catch up on my This is True premium newsletters and chapters of The Sisters of Dorley (which is technically also a book series, but I get it emailed to me by chapter via Patron so it feels different). I enjoy both, just got behind while ill.

TV Shows

I’m starting to be well enough to watch things again, and I’ve got quite a backlog. I definitely want to catch up with Doctor Who, Star Trek Discovery/Picard/Lower Decks, and Hilda. Izzy tells me the new Gladiators is good, apart from the hosts, so if I catch up with that I can watch with her. The shorts on Disney Plus are good when my attention span isn’t great. Taskmaster is always fun, and doesn’t require watching in order really. I’ve never watched Game of Thrones or The Expanse, or many other series that came out in the last ten years, so my problem is having too much to watch rather than not enough.

For live stuff, I’m going to be concentrating on Formula 1 races. I like cars go fast, and it’s something I share with Izzy (if I’m well enough she joins me in my room to watch). Silly season has already started, so it’ll be fun to follow that when I can.

Usually I’d also try and watch Eurovision, but this year it very much depends on what happens with Israel. I’ll figure it out nearer the time.

If I manage all of Formula 1, and at least one season of something else, that will be good.

Films

Another one where there’s too much choice. Top priority is the Barbie movie, which I’ve been told I’ll enjoy and is excellent. I got a code to purchase a free film in December and this is what I bought, so I’m just waiting for the right time. I still want to continue the Marvel films up to Endgame, and I think the next one I need to see is Iron Man 3. Also on the list are Star Trek: Beyond, the Warcraft movie, The Hunger Games from Catching Fire onwards, and lots of Disney/Pixar films.

It doesn’t help that new films I want to see keep coming out faster than I can watch them. This year I’m looking forward to Inside Out 2, and I’m sure there’s others I’ve forgotten.

If I manage 5 films this year, I’ll consider the goal complete.

Games

My favourite. Games are amazing for dealing with chronic illness, so long as I’m well enough to play them. I’m lucky to have a gaming pc, Steam Deck, Xbox One X, and my android tablet to play games on. I also have access to a modified low force Xbox controller and Xbox adaptive controller with low force switches, so I need very little strength to use them (Special Effect are awesome).

My tablet is the most accessible, as it’s got a decent sized screen, can be used with one finger if needs be, and it’s my main communication device so I always have access to it. I’m always on the hunt for interesting games that can be played with one hand on there, but right now I’m playing Godville, Penguin Island Puzzle (a 2048 game), Castle Solitaire, Cookies Inc., Usagi Shima, and Vampire Survivors.

My goals for my tablet games are to complete all the achievements on Penguin Puzzle Island, unlock everything in Vampire Survivors along with completing every stage on every character (doable if new content isn’t released too quickly), and continue playing the others while I still find them fun.

On Xbox (including via cloud streaming if that works better) I’m wanting to finish the Frog Detective games and Unpacking, and if Izzy is available play Untitled Goose Game with her. I have Game Pass so if I find any new games on there I can play them too. Or I can just stack the boxes in Arcade Paradise again 😛

I have so many games available on my Steam Deck and PC. This year I want to focus more on games that are actually completable to some extent, though if I can get on my computer enough to make playing World of Warcraft worth it, I’m definitely playing that.

I’ve started off well by completing the DLC for A Little to the Left a few days ago, then finishing all the achievements and seasonal content. I’m currently playing Sticky Business and Stray Gods, both of which feel like they should be completable this year. There are a few games I really want to try soon, like Dordogne, Cats Organised Neatly and Journey that also feel like they won’t take forever.

For longer games, I’d like to make progress in My Time in Portia, Mass Effect 3, and Plague Inc. Mass Effect requires me to be on PC really, but the other two I can manage on the Steam Deck. Too many excellent games, not enough useful time to play them all.

Overall, if I manage to complete 5 games I’ll be happy.

YouTube/Twitch

These are the easiest watching stuff things I can do. If I’m well enough to put the telly on, it’s usually to watch one of these, even if it’s mostly in the background to keep me company. I’ve got a backlog of paid for (membership/Patreon) videos I want to watch, so hopefully this year I’ll get caught up. Other than that I want to get back to watching my favourite Twitch streams (prioritising those I also moderate) and also watch/listen to Dice Funk and other things I like on Youtube.

That’s all of them. Lots of goals, but I’m not expecting to meet all of them and a year is a long time. If I continue improving (or at least not getting worse) then I should make decent progress. It also helps me when I have the energy to do things to know what I want to do, so I don’t waste it all trying to decide. I’m so happy that I’m now well enough to do these things 😊

Danni

Second Covid-19 Vaccine Get

Danni, Gaming, Gender Stuff, M.E., Mental Health, Penguins!, Physical Disability

This is my second version of this post, as just over a week ago I wrote one saying I wasn’t feeling too bad after getting the second vaccine. I just needed fact check something with Izzy, so went to sleep thinking I’d post it after I woke up. And I felt awful. I’m still not great but I’m hoping it’ll ease off soon.

I got my second jab on Tuesday 4th May, and getting it was fine. Same person as the first time which helped, as we could skip the don’t get worried if I stop responding stuff. For the first few days I had a sore, useless arm and felt a bit fluey, but not as bad as the first jab.

The evening of Friday 7th May I woke up feeling horrendous. High temperature, chills, shakes, worse ME symptoms, severe nausea, and just generally feeling awful. Izzy had her jab that afternoon but luckily wasn’t feeling too bad, as she had to give me all the meds I’m allowed. I was only awake about 3 hours before my body forced me to sleep again.

I think it’s a mixture of vaccine side effects and ME payback from getting the vaccine, compounded by having new problematic upstairs neighbours, so my rest is being interrupted. I’m finally doing a bit better, but still am much weaker than my normal. It sucks having to stop eating because I can’t chew any longer rather than having finished or being full. I’m hoping to be back to my normal soon, as once I’m fully protected (which is meant to be the coming Tuesday) I’m wanting to go on adventures and/or see people.

Izzy had about a day of feeling lousy then was pretty much fine. She took the Friday she had the jab off, but was able to work again on the Monday. She’s also excited about the prospect of seeing people again.

I’m going to bullet point the rest of the updates as it’s easier for me and I want to finish this post.

  • The sore arm from the first jab lasted 10 weeks. I really hope it doesn’t this time.
  • Izzy has started sorting the living room and has set up a computer for Sammie to use. For me to get in there we need to remove some old furniture and stuff, which requires help. Hopefully soon.
  • We got a new tabletop dishwasher called Bob. Bob is purple and my contribution was large googly eyes. It’s already helped Izzy so much.
  • Izzy has gone private for her gender healthcare, as we don’t know how many years it’ll be before she’s seen on the NHS. Expensive but worth it. She’s already happier because there’s progress.
  • Just after Izzy emptied her bank account to pay for that, we discovered we need to replace our fridge freezer. Typical. Our current one will need defrosting and the hallway needs the boxes of pads and stuff moving before we can get a new one delivered.
  • We’re pretty sure Izzy has ADHD as well as being autistic, but neither of us have the spoons to sort out an assessment for her. It does help explain certain struggles she has that autism doesn’t quite cover (though there’s a lot of overlap).
  • Izzy is also exhausted because she’s looking after me 24/7 along with being a game developer 40 hours a week for over a year now. If circumstances allow, we’re hoping she’ll get a break this summer.
  • We’re not sure when we’ll get the careworkers back in yet, but it’ll be before Izzy goes back to the office.
  • We don’t know when Izzy will be back at the office. We do know it’ll be a different office, and the new one is further away. We’ll have to take this into account when figuring out what times the care workers should come.
  • We also need to sort out getting a new cleaner/house help person. As they’ll eventually be coming in when Izzy isn’t here, it’ll need to be someone I’m comfortable being in the flat alone with, which I wasn’t with our previous cleaner. I’m hoping whoever it is can help me organise my room – I have a plan, but need someone to be my arms 😛
  • I have some niggly and routine health stuff to sort out once things calm down. Nothing super urgent but they need doing. For obvious reasons I didn’t want to go to the hospital until I’m protected from Covid-19, and nor did I want to tie up a doctor or nurse for things that can wait a bit.
  • When not experiencing jab side effects, I was getting on my computer and playing World of Warcraft once or twice a week. Not as often as I’d like, but enough to make some decent progress.
  • I’ve gotten obsessed with the mobile game Idle Brick Breaker. It’s just colourful balls breaking bricks to make big numbers, but perfect when my brain isn’t working. I wish it were a proper idle game that progressed while not open, but watching it is great.
  • Our new upstairs neighbours are drug dealers. We know this because they’re not quiet about it, and we can hear their shouted conversations. It’s also meant people visiting at all hours of the day and night, often banging on the communal doors, and sometimes ringing our doorbell or banging on our windows. There’s also a lot of yelling and arguments.
  • My biggest flashback triggers are loud arguments and things hitting the window. I’m struggling quite a bit with them, panic attacks and dissociation. It’s also making my ME worse.
  • The last time we had an upstairs neighbour involved with drugs he ended up getting murdered. Although that’s probably not going to happen this time, last weekend the flat upstairs was raided by the police as a man was found dead not that far away.
  • Izzy and our other neighbours are reporting this to the housing when they can. Last time we were seriously considering moving. Upstairs know I’m ill in bed as our nosy neighbour told them, but that doesn’t stop them making so much noise they wake me up with ear plugs in at 1am some nights.
  • Other than upstairs, it’s a pretty quiet area. Before they moved in the worst noise was the kids playing next door or the nosy neighbour vacuuming with her flat door open. Ear plugs deal with them fine.
  • Penguins are still good. Baby penguins are being born and they’re adorable.
  • We found a really friendly, accepting community on Twitch and Discord after a random raid. They like us both as individuals and as a couple. I overdid it for a few weeks watching streams and chatting because it’s just so lovely. They’ve really helped Izzy’s confidence as well.
  • I commissioned the below emote to use on Discord. I love it 😊
A cartoon purple penguin smiling and hugging a red heart.
Danni

Goodbye 2020

Computers, Danni, Gaming, M.E., Physical Disability, Real Life, World of Warcraft

I hope you all had the best Christmas/holiday season you could under the circumstances. We had an okay time, decided to spread it out over a few days with presents on Christmas Day and roast pork on the 28th. I loved all my presents, though I still need to sort some out for those who didn’t have wishlists I could pick from. Sammie came over on Christmas Eve, and after donning full PPE we finally had a hug which was the best present. It had been over a year as I wasn’t well enough when she came over in February then The Event stopped her visiting much through the year.

I’ve still not left my bedroom, but Izzy has promised I can go on the ramp to watch fireworks on New Year’s Eve and I’ll wear full PPE in case the neighbour shows up. The fireworks will be at 6pm instead of midnight because of The Event. Instead I’ve been playing a lot of World of Warcraft Shadowlands, watching TV and films, reading a lot of Wikipedia/Wikitravel/Reddit and also sleeping through migraines (6 in December, which I’m not too happy about).

The Event has had a big impact. I’ve known several people to get Covid-19. Most were only slightly or moderately ill, but one friend is currently in intensive care on a ventilator, and she wasn’t in the shielding group. Even those who weren’t that ill initially are having symptoms long after the initial illness has gone. As my ME was triggered by swine flu we’ve been really careful, and as the rates have increased in our area Izzy has stopped going to local shops at all and only goes out for my medication and exercise when it’s quiet. We’re really grateful she can work from home still and are praying and hoping my friend improves soon, along with all those who are still ill.

Izzy managed to get graphics cards! We bought a new one as Sammie’s main Christmas present, and then she got an upgrade for herself, along with an upgraded CPU and motherboard and a ton of RAM. This means I got what was basically her old machine with my case and hard drives in it. I now have a GTX 1080 which is making World of Warcraft really pretty. She has an RTX 3090 so can do ray tracing and stuff, which I’m slightly jealous of but she can actually make use of that power making games for work. I also managed to convince Izzy to come back to World of Warcraft so she’s been seeing the new zones in all their glory.

Most of our big plans are on hold until we’re vaccinated. We’re both in group 6 for the UK priority list, me for having ME and Izzy for having asthma. As even when there wasn’t a pandemic I didn’t get out much we want Izzy to get it first, though once I have it we can get the carers back in and look into a cleaner again (maybe my brother). Izzy’s been able to do some housework while she’s on holiday from work, but we’re not quite there yet. We have a lot of cardboard boxes to get rid of. Once we’re vaccinated we’ll be able to have Sammie over more often if she wants to which would be awesome. I also owe her and Izzy a trip to a theme park.

My hopes for the last couple of days of the year are to finish reading Because Internet by Gretchen McCulloch, play a bit more World of Warcraft, and see the fireworks tomorrow. I’ll do a seperate post for my goals for next year and a proper review of this one. This is mostly an update post to get back into the habit of writing.

Danni

WTF is going on?

Computers, Danni, Gaming, M.E., Physical Disability, Real Life, World of Warcraft

So I’m still here. This is mostly good. Still haven’t left my bedroom, but have gotten out of bed (to make a sheet change easier) so that’s something.

My brother Martin came over in August to help sort the kitchen out, as Izzy was too overwhelmed to do it. He did an excellent job, and we wore masks when in the same room and stuff. As it went well he was meant to be coming back to help more, but then his housemate was exposed to The Virus and by the time his result came back negative cases in our local area had exploded again (not helped by the universities restarting) and it felt too high risk. We’re hoping he can come over when things calm down again as he’s better at cleaning and organising than our previous cleaner.

Having the kitchen sorted meant Izzy felt up to doing more in there, so we bought a bread maker and an Instant Pot to make things easier. The home made bread is awesome, though it goes dry very quickly so we need to find a way to keep it fresh for longer in case I’m asleep. We’ve been buying jam from Evesham Goldenberries to go on the bread, and it’s so good. I need Izzy to make more bread as that jam only deserves the best 😛

I’ve mostly been stable. Izzy being around all the time definitely helps me. The only new thing that’s bad is I’m getting motion sick in Minecraft again, which is very frustrating when I want to play Bilbcraft with friends and it’s been updated to the new version. I’ve been playing some World of Warcraft and Vostok Inc. which have been fun. I got the collector’s edition of World of Warcraft: Shadowlands, which is very shiny. Don’t know when the expansion is coming out though 😛

When I’ve been on my tablet I’ve mostly been playing Penguin Isle, The Pocket Arcade (which is made by a certain company Izzy works for… :P) and various Nanogram/Picross games. I’ve been spending less time on Twitter as everything is overwhelming, but friends are good.

Last week Izzy got her flu jab. She was in and out quickly, and it was done by one of the doctors. On Saturday it was my turn. District nurse came out, and we spent about 15 minutes chatting while she filled out paperwork and such. It hurt, but I didn’t go non-verbal or hit her so I’ll call it a success 😛

This week has been recovering from that mostly. For some reason my lower arm has been hurting more than my upper arm, and I’ve had a few days of feeling rotten and needing more anti-emetics and ibuprofen, but today I seem to be back to Danni normal. I’m glad as I’ve been wanting to go on my computer and watch more Hilda on Netflix.

No real plans for the near future, though we’re starting to think about Christmas. We’re looking at graphics cards but struggling to find new ones anywhere. Hopefully that will improve at some point in the next couple of months. I’m wanting to leave my bedroom at some point, but that requires either the living room to be accessible (which is hard for Izzy to do as she’s doing two full time jobs right now) or for it to be safe for me to go outside, when we have a neighbour who won’t keep her distance. We’ll see.

Danni

10 Years

Danni, Gaming, Gender Stuff, M.E., Physical Disability, Real Life

Today is 10 years since I started this blog. This means that yesterday Izzy and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary. We had a couple of hours of cuddling in my bed while watching cricket, amazing food from our local Korean chicken place, and then I ended up sleeping the rest of the day because I still have severe ME and cuddling is exhausting 😛

The last 10 years have been very different from what we’d have predicted. We didn’t know how ill I’d get, or even that I’d still be ill by now. We moved from Crawcrook (a lovely village) to Gateshead (a decent sized town) once I could no longer manage stairs and needed to be closer to the hospitals. I went from mostly walking with crutches to full time wheelchair use and then nearly completely bed bound and unable to sit upright. Izzy went from being inside all the time to going to a day service, then volunteering for both the day service and a local games developer, then in March getting a full time job with the games company (just in time for lockdown :P). She also took up running and turned out to be pretty good at it. We also both realised we were trans. Over the last few years Izzy has got to know Sammie really well, and now Sammie trusts her when I’m not available to help out, which makes me very happy.

Some things are the same. We both still play World of Warcraft and are obsessed with computers. Penguins are a massive part of our lives, and most of our belongings are purple. We still very much like cuddling each other, and get frustrated when I’m too ill. We both like talking and listening to each other’s special interests, and just being in together while doing our own things.

The original plan was as we had a very small wedding (5 guests), we were going to have a blessing and bigger party for family and friends for our 1st anniversary. As I got more ill, that was postponed until the 5th, then the 10th. At this point, we have no idea when I’ll be well enough, so we’ll worry about it when I’m able to actually manage one, whenever that’ll be. We definitely don’t regret our wedding, especially since we weren’t to know I was going to get so much more ill so quickly. In the meantime, we just spend what time we can together and hope one day I’ll be well enough to see people again 🙂

As for how we’re doing, we’re mostly okay. Still hiding from the world, so not having anyone in and Izzy’s still working from home. I haven’t blogged much as I was badly affected by Mel Baggs’ death, mostly because it shouldn’t have happened. We hadn’t spoken recently, but if it weren’t for hir and Laura Tisoncik creating the Autism Liberation Front in Second Life I wouldn’t have met Izzy, and I’m not sure I’d even be here without them. The world is a much poorer place without Mel, but hir writing and legacy will remain.